I'm stretched pretty thin right now as we are attending Annual Council meetings in Battle Creek MI. Serious times in our church history, and if ever there was a time we should be praying, it is now. So the next few days, if I manage to get thoughts blogged, they will be brief...
Just reading in John 8 where the woman was caught in adultery, and all the proud Pharisees are trying to lay a trap to snare Jesus. "She should be stoned!" they shouted. Jesus calmly replies, "He that is without sin among you may cast the first stone..."
Then He stooped down and wrote in the sand, and slowly one by one they slinked away...
"Those who are forward in accusing others, and zealous in bringing them to justice, are often in their own lives more guilty than they. Men hate the sinner, while they love the sin. Christ hates the sin, but loves the sinner. This will be the spirit of all who follow Him. Christian love is slow to censure, quick to discern penitence, ready to forgive, to encourage, to set the wanderer in the path of holiness, and to stay his feet therein." (Desire of Ages, p. 462)Dear friends, so often we are like the Pharisees and Saducees in accusing others... we want to throw stones! But we've forgotten that we ourselves are guilty (much more guilty than those we accuse) and worthy of being stoned ourselves. And yet He's pardoned us!!! Let's stop throwing stones and pray. If you want to see change... that's where the power is, because prayer moves the arm that moves the world. And the only leaders who will really make a difference for the Kingdom are those men who humble themselves before God's throne, put down their stones, and pray!
[Note: If you want to join us in praying for our church right now... I have some prayer focus thoughts I've put together for this coming week. E-mail me!]
Tomorrows' Reading: Jer 21-22 and Ps. 117-118
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